42 Universal Truths I’ve Learned in 27 Years

1. When you’re young, shoot for affordable. When you grow up, pay for quality.
2. Our bodies are surprisingly resilient.
3. The American Dream is not dead. Opportunities aren’t handed to you, though – you have to go create them.
4. Debt is the stupidest problem to have. Bend over backwards to get rid of it.
5. If you’re over the age of 23 and your Facebook photos are always pictures of you out drinking at bars, you’re doing it wrong.
6. The second you are out of school and out in real life, friendships are insanely hard to develop and maintain.
7. They are, however, still worth it.
8. Arguing about politics will get you nowhere, both in life and in that conversation.
9. You can disagree respectfully.
10. Marriage is not a prison, nor is it a dead institution. If you think marriage is nothing but a prison, you just haven’t found the right person yet.
11. Cynicism and negativity are funny and cool when you’re a teenager. Grow up and have something positive to say.
12. Pants that fit properly will change your life.
13. It doesn’t matter what happens to you in life. What matters is how you react, and how you learn from it.
14. 95% of life’s problems are just you making yourself out to be a victim. Suck it up.
15. No matter what you are going through, no matter how dark or challenging, someone else in the world has it much, much worse. Be thankful for what you have and quit complaining so much.
16. Everyone needs a Pandora account with multiple stations. Your local radio station plays too many commercials and they play crappy music.
17. You can really do anything, but you have to be patient and plan for it. Just because you’re broke doesn’t mean you can’t travel – it just means you have to carefully prepare for it.
18. Cleaning your home is not difficult, nor is it time consuming. You just have to do it every week.
19. Blogs are crazy-useful.
20. There’s no such thing as “job security”, so don’t get lazy.
21. The Bible is misquoted all the time when people say, “Money is the root of all evil.” The verse actually says, “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” That’s a very distinct difference.
22. There is not a finite amount of success in the world. Just because your neighbor is rich doesn’t mean you can’t be.
23. Envy is dangerous and unproductive.
24. Nothing good came out of worrying about what somebody else is doing. Keep your eyes on your own paper and work harder.
25. 85% of the population doesn’t need a fancy or expensive computer/phone. You just need something that runs a web browser. Save some money.
26. You don’t need that gadget or app. You want it. That’s different, and it’s important to remember.
27. Spend less than you earn. Yes, it can be done. Re-read #24.
28. Anywhere between 80-90% of rich people are first-generation rich, meaning they didn’t sit around and inherit their money, they went out and made it. Stop resenting them. They didn’t do anything to you.
29. It’s never too late to start something. Never. As long as you are breathing, you can do something new.
30. The most important thing you can build in this world is a relationship.
31. Respect is both earned and given. Work hard to be honorable to earn it, and show it to those around you.
32. It doesn’t matter what you say. What matters is what you do.
33. I don’t care what you’re going to do. I care what you’re doing now. So should you.
34. There never will be a safe-enough time, nor will there be enough money. If you’re going to do something, do it now.
35. TV is fine. Just don’t live your life around it.
36. The internet is fine. Just use it for good, productive things, too – like building a business.
37. Don’t run away from anything. Run towards something.
38. The “old” way of doing something isn’t bad, and it might actually be better if you try it.
39. “I can’t” doesn’t do you any good.
40. It’s not that you don’t have the money. It’s that you have different priorities. Shift your mindset.
41. Always be learning. Ignorance is not a badge of honor. It’s a sign of stupidity.
42. Roll up your sleeves and get to work. Nobody is going to hand you anything in life. Ever. If you want it, and it’s worth it, chase after it until you run it down. If it’s not worth chasing after, let it go and find something else that is.

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